Level 2, Part 2This part continues the theme of content drawing on insights from the first meeting. Table of ContentsMore About ContentThe more we work with participants, the more important we see is the need to know one's content very clearly. We introduced the idea of content in Level 1 and explored it in some depth in Part 1 of this Level. Now we want to discuss the application of your knowledge of your content. More Than a PainterAt the very beginning of the first Level, you identified those interests which compete for your time. For many students, multiple competing creative interests existed and choices had to be made on where to spend their time and resources. For many, the choice was fairly clear - they wanted to be a painter or a printmaker or a potter. What has surprised us both in working with students but in examining our own working process, is the emergence of the possibility of a larger concept of what an artist is. For some artists, writing is an artifact used in creating their images. In some cases, it is simply used as a pictorial element without semantic significance for the work. In other cases it is part of the content. When the writing component of paintings grows in significance such that the work cannot exist successfully and the artist cannot create an image without it, when the writing in itself is good and has inherent quality, then the artist is neither a painter nor a writer but is some hybrid - a painter/writer. The painting cannot stand on its own and the writing cannot stand on its own, but each requires the other to create a complete expression of the artist's content. Alternatively, the writing may not be part of the image, but may be created in parallel with the image. Each is independently successful, but there exists some creative connection between the two such that neither could have been completed as a satisfactory expression of the artist's content without the other. Such writing may tell some story that the image portrays or it may provide the conceptual framework for the piece of art. The viewer may see both aspects displayed together in terms of a picture and accompanying text. Or they may never appear together again, once two are completed. The argument here is that one's content may consist of an integration of both image and text, visual and verbal theme material. Stylisticly, they may rendered together as a unit or separately as independent objects. Start With a StoryMost instruction, especially for young artists is on technique. This answers the question "how do I...". Sooner or later though, a more personal and fundamental question arises such as "What do I paint next". This is the question of content of which we should now have a handle of sorts. Until now you may have been approaching each work somewhat spontaneously or intuitively. You would start painting, perhaps with some vague idea or an interesting element that you want to use. Now we want to encourage you to develop a complete if high level statement of the content to be expressed in your next work before you lift a brush. As an example, if you really like birds, try creating a story about your bird before you paint. Imagine what that bird is going to do or what message or feeling you want it to portray. Maybe write the story down. As a last step, paint it. The idea is to go into a painting with as complete a concept of what the painting is to express before you start actually painting it. What Do I Do Next?When you have a clear idea of your thematic material, you can easily make decisions about what to do next. The kind of questions that become easier to answer are:
The important point is when I clearly understand what my work is currently about, it becomes much easier to decide where my interest might next be directed. |